


Strange Fashions

by cryogirl



Series: Soft, sweet, stupid meet-cutes [5]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, Fashion Queen Link, M/M, Meet-Cute, Shy Rhett, i’m trapped in a sugary hell of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24412708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryogirl/pseuds/cryogirl
Summary: Rhett had thought his outfit was fine, stylish even.That was until a total stranger started insulting him in the middle of the street.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Series: Soft, sweet, stupid meet-cutes [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758274
Comments: 11
Kudos: 34





	Strange Fashions

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt: “I thought this outfit looked good this morning but now you're screaming at me because of my bad fashion sense and we don't even know each other, please stop”.
> 
> This one’s a gift to the anon who send the first ever ask on my tumblr the other day. I hope they like it.
> 
> Enjoy? :)

Rhett looked around the park and picked at the hem of his shirt. It was brand new, bought especially for this occasion. It was the first time he visited the city’s annual LGBT+ street festival, the first time since he’d had his coming-out; and he wanted to look the part, so he’d gone shopping the day before. The button down and the khaki shorts weren’t the most exciting outfit, but a definite improvement compared to his usual sweatpants and t-shirts.

This morning, he’d felt great in these clothes, but now he wasn’t so sure anymore. The people around him were mostly dressed in colourful shirts, fancy dresses or skimpy crop tops. And boy, the drag queens… Rhett felt over- and underdressed at the same time.

He pushed his self-consciousness aside and made his way over to one of the stalls to look at the festival programme and maybe get some pins. He usually wasn’t the kind of guy to draw attention to himself, but now that he was out, he’d considered putting a little rainbow on his backpack.

Rhett was studying the display when he heard a loud voice a few feet away from him.

 _“_ Oh. My. Gosh _.”_

He turned around to find the source of the yelling and caught sight of a young man about his age, with dark hair and glasses. He was wearing impossibly tight shorts, an oversized sports coat and a flowery shirt underneath. His glasses looked a bit like something Rhett’s grandpa might have worn. Weirdly, the man was staring in his direction. Rhett quickly looked around to see whether there was someone standing behind him, but he was the only one at the stall.

He awkwardly lifted his hand and pointed at himself, mouthing: “Me?”

“Yes, you!” The stranger took two dramatic strides towards him and said: “Who hurt you, sunshine?”

Now Rhett was genuinely confused. “Um, nobody hurt me, I mean…”

The man silenced him by throwing his hands up in the air. Rhett noticed the glittery nail polish on his fingers. “I can’t stand the sight of you! Look at you, these shorts, this shirt and ugh, your shoes!” His voice was high-pitched and already attracting the attention of the other festival visitors. “My my, sweetheart, don’t you have a mirror at home?” He gasped and put a hand on his mouth. “Gosh, you’re not blind are you? I mean, that would explain this outfit, but-”

“Hey now,” Rhett interrupted his monologue. He was blushing fiercely, wondering why that fashion clown had to yell at him like that. Sure, he wasn’t the most adventurous dresser, but he felt pretty decent compared to whatever this guy was wearing. “What’s wrong with my clothes?” he asked nevertheless, just to find out what the big problem was.

The stranger shook his head and tsk-tsk’ed. “Oh, hunny, what is right with your clothes? This is the biggest disaster I have seen since Kardashian combined that fur with a white dress, and that’s an ordeal I simply cannot relive!”

Rhett was beginning to get angry. Why was this drama queen so harsh? Couldn’t he just mind his own business and preferably take that attitude with him? As always, though, Rhett didn’t have the courage to speak up and give that fashion bully a piece of his mind. Instead he ducked his head and let the young man’s remarks and hand gestures rain down on him.

“Please, just decide on one style next time! Khaki pants have been out since Bush was president, and why can’t you tuck your shirt in, gracious! Is that…” The man stepped closer, close enough to tug at Rhett’s collar. “Is that a graphic tee _underneath a button down_!?” he squeaked and for a second Rhett was sure he’d faint into his arms like a maiden. He didn’t; he stared up at Rhett who noticed that the stranger’s fingers were still resting against the skin of his neck. Rhett tried to convince himself that the contact _didn’t_ make whole body tingle, just like he tried to tell himself that the guy definitely _didn’t_ smell amazing and that his face _wasn’t_ super cute. _No, brain, you’re getting this wrong,_ Rhett thought. _He’s just a stupid fashion freak, no boyfriend potential._

He cleared his throat and gently removed the stranger’s hand. “Why are you so crazy about this, man?” he asked, holding his breath a little because he was afraid the other man would have an opinion on his cheap mouth wash as well. “There are so many other guys in worse outfits here.” Rhett pointed at a bulky guy down the street. “Look, this one’s dressed in a freaking banana costume.”

The young man had calmed down considerably, and he looked almost shy when he said: “But it’s such a shame, you dressing like that. When ugly boys dress ugly, it’s no harm done, but when a gorgeous thing like you hides himself in goddamn khaki… It’s a waste, you know?”

“Oh.” If Rhett’s face had been red before, it was nothing compared to the fire he felt spreading across his cheeks now. He was more than flustered; having only recently come to terms with his sexuality, he hadn’t actually flirted with another man before. He wasn’t even sure if he was being flirted with now, since most of what the stylish stranger had said so far had sounded like an insult to Rhett’s ears. On the other hand, it didn’t happen every day (speak: never) that he someone used the term ‘gorgeous’ in relation to Rhett. The guy might be rude and over-dramatic, but he was still remarkably cute, even with that strange outfit and the weird nail polish.

“Uh…” he mumbled, trying to come up with a slick remark. Unfortunately, all that his mind supplied was: “You have the same glasses as my grandpa.” 

The stranger lifted one eyebrow and smirked. “Oh dear, your pants aren’t the only obnoxious thing on you, huh?”

“No, no, I meant they look good, on you! Not on my grandpa, um…” Rhett took a deep breath. “Look, I don’t have this whole gay thing figured out yet, I know I need to do something about my wardrobe but I honestly thought this looked nice until you…”

The other man laughed suddenly, friendly and soft, and tapped Rhett’s cheek with one of his manicured fingers. “Don’t fret, sweetie. I’ve got you,” he said and looked around the street. “Look, there’s a shopping centre over there. What do you say, huh? I take you shopping, and if you’re a good boy and let me dress you in something civilised instead of these rags, I’ll allow you to buy me dinner afterwards.”

“Um, okay,” Rhett said, and let himself be dragged towards the stores, a stupid grin spreading on his face. How had this happened? How had the other one gone from ‘crazy fashion queen’ to ‘cutest boy on earth’ in the last five minutes? Not that Rhett cared much, to be honest. Not at all.

As he entranced the door and heard his new acquaintance immediately complain about a collection of “absolutely tasteless” silk blouses, he was almost certain that he’d wear a pink feather boa and a top hat for the rest of his life if that just meant that this madman would keep smiling at him.


End file.
